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- Open Data Commons - Public Domain Dedication & License (PDDL)
-
- Preamble
-
- The Open Data Commons - Public Domain Dedication & Licence is a document intended
- to allow you to freely share, modify, and use this work for any purpose and
- without any restrictions. This licence is intended for use on databases or
- their contents ("data"), either together or individually.
-
- Many databases are covered by copyright. Some jurisdictions, mainly in Europe,
- have specific special rights that cover databases called the "sui generis"
- database right. Both of these sets of rights, as well as other legal rights
- used to protect databases and data, can create uncertainty or practical difficulty
- for those wishing to share databases and their underlying data but retain
- a limited amount of rights under a "some rights reserved" approach to licensing
- as outlined in the Science Commons Protocol for Implementing Open Access Data.
- As a result, this waiver and licence tries to the fullest extent possible
- to eliminate or fully license any rights that cover this database and data.
- Any Community Norms or similar statements of use of the database or data do
- not form a part of this document, and do not act as a contract for access
- or other terms of use for the database or data.
-
- The position of the recipient of the work
-
- Because this document places the database and its contents in or as close
- as possible within the public domain, there are no restrictions or requirements
- placed on the recipient by this document. Recipients may use this work commercially,
- use technical protection measures, combine this data or database with other
- databases or data, and share their changes and additions or keep them secret.
- It is not a requirement that recipients provide further users with a copy
- of this licence or attribute the original creator of the data or database
- as a source. The goal is to eliminate restrictions held by the original creator
- of the data and database on the use of it by others.
-
- The position of the dedicator of the work
-
- Copyright law, as with most other law under the banner of "intellectual property",
- is inherently national law. This means that there exists several differences
- in how copyright and other IP rights can be relinquished, waived or licensed
- in the many legal jurisdictions of the world. This is despite much harmonisation
- of minimum levels of protection. The internet and other communication technologies
- span these many disparate legal jurisdictions and thus pose special difficulties
- for a document relinquishing and waiving intellectual property rights, including
- copyright and database rights, for use by the global community. Because of
- this feature of intellectual property law, this document first relinquishes
- the rights and waives the relevant rights and claims. It then goes on to license
- these same rights for jurisdictions or areas of law that may make it difficult
- to relinquish or waive rights or claims.
-
- The purpose of this document is to enable rightsholders to place their work
- into the public domain. Unlike licences for free and open source software,
- free cultural works, or open content licences, rightsholders will not be able
- to "dual license" their work by releasing the same work under different licences.
- This is because they have allowed anyone to use the work in whatever way they
- choose. Rightsholders therefore can't re-license it under copyright or database
- rights on different terms because they have nothing left to license. Doing
- so creates truly accessible data to build rich applications and advance the
- progress of science and the arts.
-
- This document can cover either or both of the database and its contents (the
- data). Because databases can have a wide variety of content - not just factual
- data - rightsholders should use the Open Data Commons - Public Domain Dedication
- & Licence for an entire database and its contents only if everything can be
- placed under the terms of this document. Because even factual data can sometimes
- have intellectual property rights, rightsholders should use this licence to
- cover both the database and its factual data when making material available
- under this document; even if it is likely that the data would not be covered
- by copyright or database rights.
-
- Rightsholders can also use this document to cover any copyright or database
- rights claims over only a database, and leave the contents to be covered by
- other licences or documents. They can do this because this document refers
- to the "Work", which can be either - or both - the database and its contents.
- As a result, rightsholders need to clearly state what they are dedicating
- under this document when they dedicate it.
-
- Just like any licence or other document dealing with intellectual property,
- rightsholders should be aware that one can only license what one owns. Please
- ensure that the rights have been cleared to make this material available under
- this document.
-
- This document permanently and irrevocably makes the Work available to the
- public for any use of any kind, and it should not be used unless the rightsholder
- is prepared for this to happen.
-
- Part I: Introduction
-
- The Rightsholder (the Person holding rights or claims over the Work) agrees
- as follows:
-
- 1.0 Definitions of Capitalised Words
-
- "Copyright" - Includes rights under copyright and under neighbouring rights
- and similarly related sets of rights under the law of the relevant jurisdiction
- under Section 6.4.
-
- "Data" - The contents of the Database, which includes the information, independent
- works, or other material collected into the Database offered under the terms
- of this Document.
-
- "Database" - A collection of Data arranged in a systematic or methodical way
- and individually accessible by electronic or other means offered under the
- terms of this Document.
-
- "Database Right" - Means rights over Data resulting from the Chapter III ("sui
- generis") rights in the Database Directive (Directive 96/9/EC of the European
- Parliament and of the Council of 11 March 1996 on the legal protection of
- databases) and any future updates as well as any similar rights available
- in the relevant jurisdiction under Section 6.4.
-
- "Document" - means this relinquishment and waiver of rights and claims and
- back up licence agreement.
-
- "Person" - Means a natural or legal person or a body of persons corporate
- or incorporate.
-
- "Use" - As a verb, means doing any act that is restricted by Copyright or
- Database Rights whether in the original medium or any other; and includes
- modifying the Work as may be technically necessary to use it in a different
- mode or format. This includes the right to sublicense the Work.
-
- "Work" - Means either or both of the Database and Data offered under the terms
- of this Document.
-
- "You" - the Person acquiring rights under the licence elements of this Document.
-
- Words in the singular include the plural and vice versa.
-
- 2.0 What this document covers
-
- 2.1. Legal effect of this Document. This Document is:
-
- a. A dedication to the public domain and waiver of Copyright and Database
- Rights over the Work; and
-
- b. A licence of Copyright and Database Rights over the Work in jurisdictions
- that do not allow for relinquishment or waiver.
-
- 2.2. Legal rights covered.
-
- a. Copyright. Any copyright or neighbouring rights in the Work. Copyright
- law varies between jurisdictions, but is likely to cover: the Database model
- or schema, which is the structure, arrangement, and organisation of the Database,
- and can also include the Database tables and table indexes; the data entry
- and output sheets; and the Field names of Data stored in the Database. Copyright
- may also cover the Data depending on the jurisdiction and type of Data; and
-
- b. Database Rights. Database Rights only extend to the extraction and re-utilisation
- of the whole or a substantial part of the Data. Database Rights can apply
- even when there is no copyright over the Database. Database Rights can also
- apply when the Data is removed from the Database and is selected and arranged
- in a way that would not infringe any applicable copyright.
-
- 2.2 Rights not covered.
-
- a. This Document does not apply to computer programs used in the making or
- operation of the Database;
-
- b. This Document does not cover any patents over the Data or the Database.
- Please see Section 4.2 later in this Document for further details; and
-
- c. This Document does not cover any trade marks associated with the Database.
- Please see Section 4.3 later in this Document for further details.
-
- Users of this Database are cautioned that they may have to clear other rights
- or consult other licences.
-
- 2.3 Facts are free. The Rightsholder takes the position that factual information
- is not covered by Copyright. This Document however covers the Work in jurisdictions
- that may protect the factual information in the Work by Copyright, and to
- cover any information protected by Copyright that is contained in the Work.
-
- Part II: Dedication to the public domain
-
- 3.0 Dedication, waiver, and licence of Copyright and Database Rights
-
- 3.1 Dedication of Copyright and Database Rights to the public domain. The
- Rightsholder by using this Document, dedicates the Work to the public domain
- for the benefit of the public and relinquishes all rights in Copyright and
- Database Rights over the Work.
-
- a. The Rightsholder realises that once these rights are relinquished, that
- the Rightsholder has no further rights in Copyright and Database Rights over
- the Work, and that the Work is free and open for others to Use.
-
- b. The Rightsholder intends for their relinquishment to cover all present
- and future rights in the Work under Copyright and Database Rights, whether
- they are vested or contingent rights, and that this relinquishment of rights
- covers all their heirs and successors.
-
- The above relinquishment of rights applies worldwide and includes media and
- formats now known or created in the future.
-
- 3.2 Waiver of rights and claims in Copyright and Database Rights when Section
- 3.1 dedication inapplicable. If the dedication in Section 3.1 does not apply
- in the relevant jurisdiction under Section 6.4, the Rightsholder waives any
- rights and claims that the Rightsholder may have or acquire in the future
- over the Work in:
-
- a. Copyright; and
-
- b. Database Rights.
-
- To the extent possible in the relevant jurisdiction, the above waiver of rights
- and claims applies worldwide and includes media and formats now known or created
- in the future. The Rightsholder agrees not to assert the above rights and
- waives the right to enforce them over the Work.
-
- 3.3 Licence of Copyright and Database Rights when Sections 3.1 and 3.2 inapplicable.
- If the dedication and waiver in Sections 3.1 and 3.2 does not apply in the
- relevant jurisdiction under Section 6.4, the Rightsholder and You agree as
- follows:
-
- a. The Licensor grants to You a worldwide, royalty-free, non-exclusive, licence
- to Use the Work for the duration of any applicable Copyright and Database
- Rights. These rights explicitly include commercial use, and do not exclude
- any field of endeavour. To the extent possible in the relevant jurisdiction,
- these rights may be exercised in all media and formats whether now known or
- created in the future.
-
- 3.4 Moral rights. This section covers moral rights, including the right to
- be identified as the author of the Work or to object to treatment that would
- otherwise prejudice the author's honour and reputation, or any other derogatory
- treatment:
-
- a. For jurisdictions allowing waiver of moral rights, Licensor waives all
- moral rights that Licensor may have in the Work to the fullest extent possible
- by the law of the relevant jurisdiction under Section 6.4;
-
- b. If waiver of moral rights under Section 3.4 a in the relevant jurisdiction
- is not possible, Licensor agrees not to assert any moral rights over the Work
- and waives all claims in moral rights to the fullest extent possible by the
- law of the relevant jurisdiction under Section 6.4; and
-
- c. For jurisdictions not allowing waiver or an agreement not to assert moral
- rights under Section 3.4 a and b, the author may retain their moral rights
- over the copyrighted aspects of the Work.
-
- Please note that some jurisdictions do not allow for the waiver of moral rights,
- and so moral rights may still subsist over the work in some jurisdictions.
-
- 4.0 Relationship to other rights
-
- 4.1 No other contractual conditions. The Rightsholder makes this Work available
- to You without any other contractual obligations, either express or implied.
- Any Community Norms statement associated with the Work is not a contract and
- does not form part of this Document.
-
- 4.2 Relationship to patents. This Document does not grant You a licence for
- any patents that the Rightsholder may own. Users of this Database are cautioned
- that they may have to clear other rights or consult other licences.
-
- 4.3 Relationship to trade marks. This Document does not grant You a licence
- for any trade marks that the Rightsholder may own or that the Rightsholder
- may use to cover the Work. Users of this Database are cautioned that they
- may have to clear other rights or consult other licences.
-
- Part III: General provisions
-
- 5.0 Warranties, disclaimer, and limitation of liability
-
- 5.1 The Work is provided by the Rightsholder "as is" and without any warranty
- of any kind, either express or implied, whether of title, of accuracy or completeness,
- of the presence of absence of errors, of fitness for purpose, or otherwise.
- Some jurisdictions do not allow the exclusion of implied warranties, so this
- exclusion may not apply to You.
-
- 5.2 Subject to any liability that may not be excluded or limited by law, the
- Rightsholder is not liable for, and expressly excludes, all liability for
- loss or damage however and whenever caused to anyone by any use under this
- Document, whether by You or by anyone else, and whether caused by any fault
- on the part of the Rightsholder or not. This exclusion of liability includes,
- but is not limited to, any special, incidental, consequential, punitive, or
- exemplary damages. This exclusion applies even if the Rightsholder has been
- advised of the possibility of such damages.
-
- 5.3 If liability may not be excluded by law, it is limited to actual and direct
- financial loss to the extent it is caused by proved negligence on the part
- of the Rightsholder.
-
- 6.0 General
-
- 6.1 If any provision of this Document is held to be invalid or unenforceable,
- that must not affect the cvalidity or enforceability of the remainder of the
- terms of this Document.
-
- 6.2 This Document is the entire agreement between the parties with respect
- to the Work covered here. It replaces any earlier understandings, agreements
- or representations with respect to the Work not specified here.
-
- 6.3 This Document does not affect any rights that You or anyone else may independently
- have under any applicable law to make any use of this Work, including (for
- jurisdictions where this Document is a licence) fair dealing, fair use, database
- exceptions, or any other legally recognised limitation or exception to infringement
- of copyright or other applicable laws.
-
- 6.4 This Document takes effect in the relevant jurisdiction in which the Document
- terms are sought to be enforced. If the rights waived or granted under applicable
- law in the relevant jurisdiction includes additional rights not waived or
- granted under this Document, these additional rights are included in this
- Document in order to meet the intent of this Document.
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